PM to announce welfare initiative for armed forces veterans

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will announce a welfare initiative for the armed forces veterans at the end of the month to ensure a more comfortable life for them.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said among the issues to be addressed in the announcement include pension, medical, service scheme and non-pensionable veterans.

"This is for starters, we cannot fulfill everything. During the uncertain economic situation and the constraints we are facing, we are grateful for everything...hope it will be well received.

"When the economy has recovered, we can help even more," he told reporters after opening the Kulai UMNO division delegates conference here Saturday.

In addition, the housing-related initiatives for the armed forces personnel and veterans would be announced in August.

While admitting that many armed forces personnel and veterans do not own a home, Hishammuddin said the ministry also targeted that each of them to own at least one house.

To date, two affordable housing projects for the military have been built in Johor and Kuala Lumpur while one project in Segari, Perak is still under construction, he said.

-- BERNAMA